Associating mechanism for printing machines



y 19, 1942- H. P. CLAUBERG 2,283,597

ASSOCIATING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed bet. 15, 1940' s Sheets-$heet 1 May 19, 1942. H. P. CLAUBERG ,2

ASSOCIATING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES s sheets-sheet 2 May 19,1942. H. P. CLAUBERG ASSOCIATING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACI -IINES Filed Oct. 15, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 19, 1942 UNETED STATE lCE ASSOCIATING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Application October 15, 1940, Serial No. 361,309

17 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines, and more particularly to improvements in the Web or ribbon associating mechanism thereof.

In modern printing, there now exists a progressively increasing demand for multi-color work, and also greater speed inits production. Printing presses for producing multi-color Work are also employed in printing monotone, and although webs printed in a single color may be run over a former at relatively high speed without difiiculty, it has been found that when Webs are printed in multi-color at high speed there is a tendency of the multi-color impressions to smut or smear as the web passes over the surface of a former.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide in a printing machine improved webdirecting and associating apparatus of sufiicient operative flexibility to permit printed webs to be delivered over formers, or to separate the webs into ribbons and guide them between or around spaced formers to associating locationsj Another object of this invention is to provide in. a printing machine improved web directing and associating apparatus which incorporate separate laterally movable formers positioned side by side, and turner bars located above the formers, the apparatus being constructed and arranged to guide ribbons between or around the formers to associating instrumentalities.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a printing machine separate formers positioned side by side and mounted for lateral movement to provide a space between the formers, turner bars, compensating rollers, and guide rollers constructed and arranged to guide ribbons between and around the formers to associating and delivery mechanism below the formers.

A specific object of this inveniton is to provide in a printing machine separate formers positioned side by side and mounted for lateral movement to provide a space between the formers, means for laterally moving the formers, turner bars, and compensating rollers located above the formers and constructed and arranged to direct ribbons toward paths of travel which, in turn, guide the ribbons between and around the formers to associating and delivery mechanism located below the formers.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide in a printing machine separate formers positioned side by side and mounted for lateral movement relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formars, associating means below the formers,

means for guiding printed webs to locations ad-" jacent the turner bars, means for slitting the webs into ribbons at these locations, means for guiding the ribbons from these locations to the turner bars, and means for guiding the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers or therearound to the associating means.

It is also an object of this invention to provide in a printing machine web or ribbon associating apparatus of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efiicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantage of the invention.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, a detailed description thereof will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmental diagrammatic transverse sectional View taken through the folding portion of a printing machine and depicting the formers in spaced relation. I V Figure 2 is a fragmental diagrammatic side elevation of the folding portion of a printing machine and depicting printed webs from 10- cations at each side of the folder as being led to the associating mechanism.

Figure 3 is a .fragmental transverse sectional view taken through the folding portion of a printing machine and depicting the adjusting mechanism for laterally moving the folder formers relative to each other; and

Figure 4 is a fragmental transverse horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3. Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, I!) indicates a supporting frame for the various components or units of a printing machine, and portions of the frame are broken away or omitted to better illustrate the invention. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, it will beobserved that the frame I0 is provided with transversely-extending members or rails H having track ways 12 Which are slidably engaged by guides or supports l3, carried by spaced former supports or carriages l5. Each carriage i5 is provided with a boss or ear IB having a threaded aperture ll formed therein for the reception of a screw 18 which is swiveled to an extension 20 of the machine frame ID, as indicated at 2l.'

Each screw l8 extends laterally beyond the machine frame [0, and its outer terminal is provided with a manipulating head or hand wheel 19 which is rigidly secured to the screw I8. A form-er 22, cooperating lead-in or draw rollers 23, and cooperating nipping rollers 25 are supported by each carriage I5. The lead-in rollers 23 are rotatably mounted in fixed bearing brackets 26 which are supported by and travel with the carriage l5. One of the nipping rollers 25 in each cooperating pair is mounted in a fixed bracket 26, and the opposed nipping roller is mounted in an adjustable bracket 2'! for adjustorder to accommodate different numbers of webs,

but inasmuch as this phase of the mechanism is well understood by those skilled in the art, this adjustment is merely diagrammatically indicated. Each former 22 is supported for angular adjustment, as indicated at 2B and 30, in conformity with the usual practice well understood by those skilled in the art.

By this arrangement the iormers 22 may be moved laterally towards and away from each other by simply manipulating the hand wheels 19. When the hand wheel I9 of a selected former is rotated, the consequent rotation of the screw 18 in the threaded aperture ll! of the lug or ear [6 of the former carriage I5 adiustably moves the former carriage laterally.

If it is desired to run the Webs down over the formers 22, then the manipulating wheels l9 are so rotated as to move the upper or broad portion of the formers together in abutting relation. If, however, it is desired to slit the webs into ribbons and then run the ribbons down between the formers, the hand wheels are so manipulated as to move the former carriages I5 away from each other so that the formers 22 are positioned in spaced relation, as indicated in Figure 1, to permit the ribbons to pass therebetween. The means for directing the ribbons down between the formers and also therearound will be fully disclosed hereinafter.

As best depicted in Figures 1 and 2, means are provided for guiding webs from the usual printing units, not shown, to and down the formers 22 and then to suitable associating and delivery mechanism, such as the conventional nipping rollers, folding cylinders and delivery. Inasmuch as the folding cylinders and delivery are well understood by those skilled in the art, they are not here depicted. In addition to this former web run, means are also provided for slitting the webs into narrow ribbons and then directing them down between the formers and also around the formers to the associating and delivery mechanism.

In modern printing, this provision for flexibility in the operation of the printing machine is highly advantageous, because it permits both multi-color and monotone printing, associating and delivery at high speed.

When it is desired to run webs or ribbons down over the formers 22 from printing units, not shown, disposed in the line of printing units at opposed sides of the folder, then the formers are positioned close together as shown in Figure 3, and a web W, best shown in Figure 2, is led past and around guide rollers 32 to the folder, past and around guide roller 35 and guide rollers 35' to the drag roller 33. A web W is led from printing units, not shown, located at the opposite side of the folder, over and around guide rollers 35 to the drag roller 33. Another web W is led from printing units, disposed at this side of the folder, over a guide roller 31 and around the lower guide roller 36 to the drag roller 33; or a web W may be led from printing units located at this side of the folder under a guide roller 38 to the drag roller 33.

From the foregoing it is manifest that any required number of webs may be led from either or both sides of the folder to and over the dra roller 33 and then down the formers to the folding and delivery mechanisms.

When folding, associating and delivering webs that are printed in monotone, this form of delivery is satisfactory, because webs printed with a single color may be run down the former at relatively high speed without smutting. However, when it is desired to associate and deliver webs printed in multi-color, it is found that such webs cannot be handled at high speed owing to the tendency of the webs to smut as they pass over the former surface. However, in applicants arrangement, which will be subsequently more fully disclosed, multi-color webs may be slit into ribbons and directed between and around the formers at high speed, thereby obviating former smutting. Y

In order to associate and deliver at high speed products produced from webs printed in multicolor, a novel turner bar assembly has been provided for directing ribbons laterally above the formers so that the ribbonsmay be guided down between the spaced or separated formers and also therearound. The turner bar assembly includes a predetermined number of pairs of perpendicularly-disposed horizontal turner bars constructed and arranged to divert ribbons to either side of each former to permit the ribbons to be run down around the former to the associating mechanism located therebelow. Referring to Figures 1 and 2,.it will be observed that four pairs of conventional turner bars are disposed above each former. The turner bars are diagrammatically indicated at 40, M, 42, 43, 45, 46, 41, and 48. When employing the turner bars t divert ribbons around the formers, one or-two webs W may be led from the line of printing units at one side of the folder around the guide roller 35 to a distributing or propelling roller 50, as best shown in Figure 2. One or two webs W from the printing units located at the opposed side of the folder, may be led under the guide roller 31 to a propelling or distributing roller 5| which is located at the opposed side of the folder. Although the guide rollers 35 and 31, best depicted in Figure 2, are indicated as preferred guides for leading the webs W and W to the distributing rollers 50 and 5|, it is to be understood that other rollers may be employed to direct the web to the distributing rollers. As the webs W pass over the distributing roller 50, they are slit into ribbons by a slitter disc 52, which cooperates with the roller 50, and then a ribbon R may be led around guide rollers 53 to turner bar or 45, or a ribbon may be led to each bar. A ribbon B may be led from the roller 5|] to turner bar 4| or 46, or a ribbon may be led to each bar. Another ribbon B may be led around guide roller to turner bar 42 or 41, or a ribbon may be led to each bar. A ribbon R may be led from the distributing roller 50 around the guide roller 56 to turner bar 43 or 48, or a ribbon may be led to each bar.

The webs W are slit into ribbons as they pass over the propelling and distributing roller 5| by a slitter 58. A ribbon R may be led from the distributing roller 5| around guide rollers and 6| to turner bar 40 or 45, or a ribbon may be led through this path to both bars. Another ribbon R may be guided from the roller 5| around guide rollers 60 to turner bar 4| or 46, or a ribbon may be led through this path to both bars. Another ribbon R may be directed from the distributing roller 5| to turner bar 42 or 41, or a ribbon may be led to both, and an additional ribbon R may be led from the roller 5| around a guide roller 62 to the turner bar 43 or 48, or ribbons may be led to both.

The described web and ribbon run' is merely one of a number of possible runs. Inasmuch as two full width webs may be led into each side of the machine, as best depicted in Figure 2, and since each web is slit into two ribbons, eight ribbons are produced, one ribbon for each set of turner bars. The ribbon may be led through difierent selected paths of travel from the rollers 50 and 5| to the turner bars, so that one ribbon is led to each set of bars. 7

From the foregoing it is manifest that webs from printing units located in the line of printing units at either side of the folder may be slit into ribbons, and the ribbons then led through difierent paths of travel to the difierent sets of turner bars that are nested above the formers 22, so that the ribbons may be subsequently guided from the turner bars into different paths of travel, to be hereinafter disclosed.

The turner bar assembly is constructed and arranged to cooperate with guide rollers to direct and guide a selected number of webs down between the formers or therearound, to thus provide paths of travel for the ribbons which avoid the formers. By this arrangement multi-color ribbons may be associated and delivered at high r speed without smutting or smearing.

As seen in Figure 1, a ribbon may 'be led from the right-hand side of the turner bars 45 around a compensating roller 63 and guide rollers 65, and then through associating or nipping rollers 66 to the associating nipping rollers 61, wherethe webs are associated prior to entering the folding, cutting and delivery mechanism, not shown. If preferred, a ribbon or ribbons may be led from the left-hand side of the turner bars P 45 around a compensating roller 68 and then around guide rollers 69 and 10 to the guide rollers 65, and from these rollers to the associating roller 66, as shown.

It is to be understood, of course, that each compensating roller is adjustably movable, preferably in a horizontal path, as diagrammatically indicated, to and from the turner bars, but inasmuch as the mechanism for adjustably moving the compensating rollers is well-known and understood by those skilled in the art, such mechanism has not been illustrated.

Other ribbons may be directed from either side of the turner bars 46 and 41 over suitable guide rollers and through the nipping and associating rollers 66 and 61. led from th right-hand side of turner bars 48 around a compensating roller II, and then around guide rollers 12 through the nipping and associating roller 66 and 61.

A ribbon may be led from the right-hand side of the turner bars 40 around a compensator roller 13, and then around guide rollers l5, l0, and 16 to associating nipping rollers 25 positioned below the right-hand former. If preferred, a ribbon may be led from the left-hand side of the turner bars 40 around a compensator roller (1 and around guide rollers 18 to associating or propeller roller 80, and then' to associating and nipping rollers 8| located below the left-hand former. Again, a ribbon from the right-hand side of turner bars 40 may be directed around the compensator roller I3, first guide roller 'I5, and then around guide roller 82 into the web path defined by guide rollers 18 and nipping and associating rollers and 8|.-

A ribbon may be led from the left-hand side of turner bars 4| around a compensator roller 83, and then around guide rollers through rollers 80 and 8|. If preferred, a ribbon may be led from the right-hand side of the turner bars 4| around the compensating roller 85, and then around guide rollers 81 to the associating nipping roller 25 located below the right-hand former. Again, this ribbon may be diverted from its path of travel to the associating nipping rollers 25 after passing the first two guide rollers 81, by then directing it to the guide rollers 85 and rollers 8|] which, in turn, direct the ribbon to the nipping rollers 8| located below the lefthand former. A ribbon may be directed from the left-hand side of the turner bars 43 around compensator roller 88, and then around guide rollers 90, through the associating nipping rollers 80 and 8| or, if preferred, a web may be led to the right from the turner bars 43 around a compensator roller 9| and guide rollers 92 and 93 to the rollers 95, and then to the disclosed path of travel to the associating nipping rollers 61.

A number of other paths of travel from the turner bars to the nipping rollers 61 and 8| are provided. For the sake of brevity, however, some of the paths have not been described in the application, but they will be apparent from the disclosure of Figures 1 and 2. It will be seen that the turner bars which are nested above the formers are so constructed and arranged as to direct ribbons either to the right or left into paths of travel that lead down between th'e spaced formers or therearound, and-that one set v of turner bars may direct webs to various paths liver four ribbons from eachside of the folder,

the ribbons run outside the formers through the rollers 65 and 8|), but with such run there would be no ribbons brought'down between the formers. If, however, it is desired to deliver eight ribbons A ribbon may also be from the right hand side of the folder, as de: picted in Figure 1, four ribbons are brought down between the formers and four ribbons are brought down around the formers and pass through the roller 56, but in such run no ribbons would pass through the rollers 88. If preferred, one, two, or three ribbons may be brought down between the formers, and one, two, or three ribbons may be brought down between the rollers 86. In another possible web run, certain of the eight ribbons may be brought down between the formers and others brought down between the rollers 65 and 85, to thus deliver two different products, one at the right-hand side of the former and one at the left-hand side, and one product may have a greater number of pages than the other.

In operation, when printing in monotone, the adjusting hand wheels 19, shown in Figure 3, are manipulated to move the formers 22 into abutting relation, and then the webs are guided down over the formers in a manner well understood by' those skilled in the art,'and finally delivered in conformity with the usual practice. Inasmuch as the webs bear only a single color, they may be printed, run over the formers, associated, and deliveredat relatively high speed without smutting. Again, if the character of the product is such as to require former runs, then webs printed in multi-color may be directed down over the formers, but the press must be run at somewhat reduced speed to prevent smutting of the web as it passes down the former surface. In all former runs, if it is desired to produce tabloid products, then the webs may be slit by the slitter disc 96, shown in Figure 2. This slitting arrangement and operation is in conformity with the usual practice and is well understood by those skilled in the art.

When it is desired to produce multi-color products at high speed, the hand wheels l9 are rotated to separate the formers the requisite distances so that ribbons may be run therebetween. The ribbons are then directed in predetermined relation to the turner bars located above the formers, and the turner bars, in turn, direct the ribbons in any preferred associated relationship down between the formers or therearound to the associating, folding, cutting, and delivery mechanism located below the formers. By this arrangement, multi-color work can be printed and associated at high speed without smutting, because the freshly printed surface of the webs or ribbons do not engage the formers, but instead, pass therebetween or therearound.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

1. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, associating means below the formers, and means for guiding printed ribbons down between the formers to the associating means.

2. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, associating means below the formers, and means for guiding printed ribbons down between formers to the associating means and for guiding other ribbons down outside the formers to the associating means.

3, In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below the formers, means for guiding printed ribbons to the turner bars, and means for guiding the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means.

4. In a printing machine having printing units and a folding mechanism, separate formers for the folding mechanism positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to eachother to provide a space therebetween, web associating rollers below the formers, a plurality of superposed turner bars above the formers, and guide rollers sopositioned with respect to the turner bars and formers as to direct webs down around and between the formers to the associating rollers.

5. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below .the formers, means for guiding printed ribbons to the turner bars, and means for guiding certain of the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means and for guiding other of the ribbons from the turner bars down around the formers to the associating means.

6. In a printing machine, separate formers po sitioned side by side andmovable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below the formers, means for guiding printed webs to locations adjacent the turner bars, means for slitting the webs into ribbons at these locations, means for guiding the ribbons from these locations to the turner bars, and means for guiding the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means.

7. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below the formers, means for guiding printed webs to locations adjacent the turner bars, means for slitting the webs into ribbons at these locations, means for guiding the ribbons from these locations to the turner bars, and means for guiding certain of the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means and for guiding other of the ribbons down around the formers to the associating means.

8. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below the formers, a slitting and propelling roller located adjacent the turner bars, means for guiding printed webs to the slitting and propelling roller, means for slitting the web into ribbons on the slitting roller, means for guiding the ribbons from the slitting roller to the turner bars, and means for guiding the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means.

9. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, turner bars above the formers, associating means below the formers, slitting and propelling rollers located adjacent the turner bars, means for guiding printed Webs to the slitting and propelling rollers, means for slitting the webs into ribbons on the slitting and propelling rollers, means for guiding the ribbons from the slitting and propelling rollers to the turner bars, and means for guiding certain of the ribbons from the turner bars down between the formers to the associating means and for guiding other of the ribbons down around the formers to the associating means.

10. In a printing machine, separate formers positioned side by side and movable laterally relative to each other to provide a space therebetween, separate sets of turner bars located in relative to each other to provide a space there-.

between, separate sets of turner bars located in different planes above the formers, associating means below the formers, a slitting and propelling roller located at each side of the formers,

means for guiding printed webs to each slitting and propelling roller, means for slitting the webs into ribbons on the slitting and propelling roller, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each propelling roller to each set of turner bars down between the formers to the associating means or down around the formers to the associating means.

12. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each former and located therebelow, means for adjustably moving the formers and rollers on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, and means for guiding ribbons down between the formers to the nipping and associating rollers.

13. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each former and located therebelow, associating and nipping rollers operably located below the movable associating and nipping rollers, means for adjustably moving the former and the said movable rollers on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, and means for guiding ribbons down between the formers to selected nipping and associating rollers, and means for guiding ribbons down outside the formers to selected nipping and associating rollers.

14. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each former and located} therebelow, separate sets of turner bars nested in different planes above each former, means for adjustably moving the formers and said rollers laterally on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, and means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons to each set of turner bars, and means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turner bars down between the formers to the nipping and associating rollers.

15. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each former and located therebelow, associating and nipping rollers operably located below the movable associating and nipping rollers, separate sets of turner bars nested in different planes above each former, means for adjustably moving the formers and the said movable rollers laterally on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons to each set of turner bars, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turner bars down between the formers to the nipping and associating rollers, and means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turnerbars down outside the formers to the associating and nipping rollers.

16. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each former and located therebelow, separate sets of turner bars-nested in diiferent planes above each former, means for adjustably moving the formers and said rollers laterally on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, a slitting and propelling roller located at each side of the turner bars, means for guiding printed webs to each slitting and propelling roller, means for slitting the-webs into ribbons on each slitting and propelling roller, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each slitting roller to eachset of turner bars, and means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turner bars down between the formers to the nipping and associating rollers.

1'7. In a printing machine, a frame, separate formers slidably supported side by side in the frame for lateral movement relative to each other, nipping and associating rollers mounted for movement with each-former and located therebelow, associating and nipping rollers operably located below the movable associating and nipping rollers, separate sets of turner bars nested in different planes above each former, means for adjustably moving the formers and said rollers laterally on the machine frame to provide a space between the formers, a slitting and propelling roller located at each side of the turner bars, means for guiding printed webs to each slitting and propelling roller, means for slitting the webs into ribbons on 'each slitting and propelling roller, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each slitting roller to each set of turner bars, means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turner bars down between the formers to the nipping and associating rollers, and means for guiding a ribbon or ribbons from each set of turner bars down outside the formers to the associating and nipping rollers.

HERMAN P. CLAUBERG.- 

